Post Referendum statement

chrismceleny

3 years ago

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Day 1 – We Keep Believing

Statement Regarding the outcome of the independence referendum.

We’ve had a few days now for the result to sink in. Firstly thank you to each and everyone of you who played your part in the greatest grass roots campaign our nation has ever known. The eyes of the world were upon Scotland and we did not disappoint. Some people have said that we’ve found a new type of politics – a people politics. I’ve always believed politics was about people but what this campaign has done is allowed ordinary people to find politics again.

The world moves on at an unbelievable pace, the social media revolution has allowed us to contact people that we could’ve never possibly engaged with before. Facebook, twitter etc played their part in creating the independence generation. If you are reading this you are the independence generation, you are the future and you are part of the beginning of an unstoppable movement.

Many of you have contacted me since Friday morning to tell me how hurt you are at the result asking for advice. The truth is I’m just a normal person like you that hurt no more than you and played a part no greater than yours.

In Inverclyde there were just 86 votes between both sides on a turnout that was spectacular for Inverclyde. In other words 49.9% of us voted yes. We can be proud of that.

We were up against the entire machine of the UK goverment and we sent a shockwave all the way to number 10 Downing Street.

But where do we go now? When I woke up on Thursday morning I believed that voting Yes was best for Inverclyde, best for my family, best for my community and best for Scotland. It was the best way to create a fairer country. It was the only way to ensure the people that care most about Scotland make the decisions about Scotland. It truly would’ve put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands. Just because this time the country voted no and weren’t ready for independence, doesn’t mean I don’t believe that is what is still best for our country.

I believed it on Thursday morning and I believe it now. Principals are not for compromising. Unless of course you are part of the Scottish Labour Party, who sold their principles to jump into bed with the Tories. Is it any wonder then that Labour heartlands such as Glasgow, Port Glasgow and Greenock voted Yes?

President Kennedy once famously said ” ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country “. The sentiment expressed here will be the legacy of our referendum. An engagement we’ve never had before of a group determined to make Scotland better.

The very next day after the referendum the no campaign imploded. Bribes of new powers suddenly became unstuck, yesterday Labour warn at their UK conference of a crisis of NHS privatisation. The sad truth is what we warned all along is being proved to be true:

They made you promises to get your vote. They lied to you. They stole your vote.

In Inverclyde I think people will struggle to trust Labour ever again. Even now Labour are considering a coalition with the Tories in Inverclyde to cling on to power.

WE CAN CARRY ON

We have been made promises, we must hold those in office to account. In May 2015 there will be a UK election. We must send a message to London that Scotland believes in itself. Almost half the country believes we should be independent, perhaps even more than half since the result was announced.

The only way we can keep our dream alive is to have yet another political earthquake and send as many SNP MPs to Westminster to fight Scotland’s cause. The SNP has become the party of change in Scotland. We are the party of progress and the only party capable of ousting Labour and the Tories in Scotland.

Scotland can and will be an independent country one day, we must stay united in our cause and we must keep believing.